Posted Thursday, September 13, 2012 --- 8:25 a.m.

TIGERTON, Wis. (AP) -- The uncle of slain U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens in Libya says his death is not only a tremendous loss for his family, but the entire nation.

Don Slicer's phone rang in Tigerton at 4:30 in the morning. Slicer knew the call was probably not good news. He says he was shocked that his nephew had been killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. But, Slicer says he wasn't shocked that it could happen. He tells WLUK-TV (http://tinyurl.com/9epoujw ) that he was always a little nervous because of the unstableness of the country.

Stevens was widely regarded as one of the most effective American envoys to the Arab world. He brokered tribal disputes and conducted U.S. outreach efforts in Jerusalem, Cairo, Damascus and Riyadh.

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Information from: WLUK-TV, http://www.fox11online.com

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.